Which bird food is suitable for which bird species? - The big feeding guide

Feeding birds in the garden is fun for the whole family and helps our feathered neighbors - especially in winter. Children learn about nature in a playful way when sparrows, titmice and the like cavort at the feeding place. But which bird food is suitable for which bird species? This comprehensive feeding guide provides an overview of what you should look out for when feeding wild birds. From grain and soft food eaters to suitable types of food and the right feeding station: find out how to feed birds in the garden in a species-appropriate way and which treats are particularly popular with blackbirds, robins and other birds. A comprehensive table shows at a glance which food is suitable for common bird species in Germany. There are also tips on seasonal feeding (winter vs. year-round) and on designing your garden as a paradise for birds - including ideas such as a Bird feeder with camera for exciting insights.

Let's get started with the most important basics of bird feeding and adapt your feeding station perfectly to your feathered guests!

1. granivores, soft feeders & co. - who eats what in the garden?

Not all garden birds eat the same things. A basic distinction is made between granivores and soft feeders. There are also flexible species that are considered omnivores. This classification will help you to understand which types of bird food should be offered at your feeding site in order to attract as many bird species as possible.

• Grain eaters have strong, short beaks and love seeds of all kinds. Typical seed eaters are, for example, finches (chaffinches, greenfinches, etc.), sparrows (sparrows) or buntings. In the wild, they crack hard seeds and grains without any problems. At the feeding place, they particularly like to eat sunflower seeds, cereal grains, hemp seeds, poppy seeds and other oily seeds. Coarse grain food is ideal for these species - it reliably attracts sparrows or greenfinches, for example.
• Soft feeders, on the other hand, have pointed, thinner beaks and often look for their food on the ground. These include species such as blackbirds, thrushes, robins, wrens and dunnocks. In the wild, they mainly eat soft food: insects, worms, spiders and soft fruit and berries. They have little use for hard grains - so it is better to offer these species soft food. Suitable foods include oat flakes, raisins, finely chopped fruit (e.g. apples) or dried berries. Proteins are also important: when feeding wild birds for soft feeders, some animal food such as dried insects or mealworms should be mixed in. This will make blackbirds & co. feel at home at your feeding station.
• Omnivores are the "generalists" among birds, so to speak. Tits of all kinds (e.g. great tit, blue tit), woodpeckers such as the great spotted woodpecker or the nuthatch have a flexible diet. They eat insects and fruit as well as grains. In winter, these species even switch their diet to grains when insects become scarce. Tits, for example, love sunflower seeds and peanuts as well as the tit dumplings that give them their name. Nuthatches and woodpeckers also like to peck at grain food, but also appreciate fat food (e.g. fat blocks) and occasional animal snacks. For omnivores, you can therefore provide a varied diet: they will accept almost anything that grain or soft food eaters like.

Why is this distinction important? If you only offer one type of food, only certain types of birds will eat it. One-sided feeding (e.g. only grains) does not help soft food eaters. A mix of different types of food is therefore ideal in order to cater for as many species as possible. In the next section, we look at the types of bird food available and how you can make your garden birds' diet colorful and healthy.

2. seeds, nuts, insects - which food is the right one?

When choosing bird food, the more variety the better. Conventional commercial feed mixes often contain a base of sunflower seeds and various cereal seeds. However, not every mixture is equally suitable for all birds. Here is an overview of common types of feed and their properties:

• Sunflower seeds: The number 1 basic food for many birds. Whether shelled or unshelled, sunflower seeds are rich in energy and extremely popular with granivores such as sparrows, finches and tits. They can be fed all year round and are often the main ingredient in seed mixtures. Hulled kernels leave less shell waste under the feeder, while unpeeled kernels are less expensive and provide an activity when crunching.
• Small seeds: Millet, linseed, hemp seed, poppy seed, niger seed etc. supplement the food supply, especially for smaller finch species. Sparrows and finches like sunflower seeds as well as hemp or poppy seeds, for example. Goldfinches (goldfinches) love niger and thistle seeds. A varied seed mix ensures that even the pickiest seed eaters get their money's worth. Tip: Oily seeds such as hemp or linseed provide extra energy thanks to their high fat content.
• Peanuts and nuts: Unsalted, shelled peanuts, chopped walnuts or hazelnuts are tasty treats for tits, woodpeckers, nuthatches and also finches. They contain a lot of fat and protein. Important: Only offer untreated, unseasoned nuts. Crushed peanuts (chopped peanuts) are better than whole nuts so that smaller birds can eat them. Pay attention to quality - never put moldy or salty nuts in the bird feeder.
• Fat food: Fat food refers to seed mixtures enriched with fat (e.g. beef or shank tallow). Classic examples are tit dumplings, fat blocks or rings. They usually consist of a mixture of seeds in fat, often with pieces of peanuts or oat flakes. Tits are crazy about them, but woodpeckers, nuthatches, sparrows and even soft feeders such as robins also like to nibble on them - especially crumbled pieces on the ground. Fat food is particularly important in winter as it provides the birds with a lot of energy. Special energy blocks with berries or insects are also available in stores to attract soft feeders. Note: In mild weather and in summer, fatty feed should only be used sparinglyas it can spoil and protein-rich food (insects) is more important at this time.
• Fruit, berries and raisins: Soft fruits are the favorite food for blackbirds, thrushes, robins and other soft feeders. Especially in winter, they enjoy pieces of apple, berries (e.g. dried rowan berries) or raisins. It is best to lay fruit out on the ground or on a plate where blackbirds & co. can peck comfortably. Tip: Halved apples in the snow are a blackbird magnet! In summer, berry bushes in the garden (currants, elderberries) can also provide natural food sources.
• Oat flakes, bran and cereal flakes: These soft plant foods are ideal for soft feeders such as robins, wrens and dunnocks. Oat flakes (preferably mixed with a little oil to prevent them from swelling) provide carbohydrates and are eaten by many species. Bran or fine cereal flakes can also be mixed in. But be careful: such soft feed materials should remain dry - they spoil quickly when wet. You should therefore offer them under cover or in protected ground feeders.
• Animal protein (insects): Insectivores such as robins, wrens, tits (for rearing their young) and starlings also appreciate some animal food at the feeding place. Dried mealworms, shrimps or insect larvae can be added in small quantities. This provides protein, which is particularly important in spring during breeding. Live mealworms as food are a special treat - robins and blackbirds, for example, love to snatch them up. In winter, fat food partially replaces the missing insects.

Not everything is allowed: Avoid leftovers, salty or spicy food! Bread, salty food, cookies etc. do not belong in bird food. Such foods swell up in the bird's stomach or contain salt and spices that are harmful to birds. Dairy products such as milk or soft cheese are also not good for birds. Unseasoned, natural ingredients are more suitable - the food should correspond to the natural diet of wild birds. With high-quality, species-appropriate ingredients at your feeding station, you can ensure that your feathered visitors stay healthy.

Now that we know what types of food are available, the next step is to look specifically at which bird species prefers which food. The following overview table will help you to provide the right food for common garden birds in Germany.

3. common bird species and their favorite food - the big table

Every bird species has its own preferences. Some prefer to eat from the ground, others hop into the bird feeder. One species loves grains, the next prefers to peck at raisins. Orientate yourself to the natural feeding habits of your garden guests - then your feeding station will quickly become a popular meeting place for many species. The table shows common garden birds in Germany with the food they like best:

Bird species	Suitable bird food
House sparrow (sparrow)	Grain food (sunflower seeds, millet, wheat, etc.), hemp seeds, peanuts (chopped), fat food. (Typical grain eaters - eat almost all grains).
Great tit & blue tit	Varied: sunflower seeds (preferably shelled), broken peanuts, fat food (tit dumplings, fat blocks), hemp seeds. Dried mealworms are also accepted. (Omnivores - especially grains in winter).
Robins	Soft food: oat flakes, raisins, dried berries, bran, small peeled sunflower seeds, mealworms. Fruit (e.g. pieces of apple) and oat flakes containing fat in winter. (Ground feeders, prefer soft food).
Blackbird (black thrush)	Soft and fruity food: apple pieces, berries, raisins, oat flakes (possibly in oil), dried insects. Sometimes eats oats, wheat or peanut pieces, as well as worms/snails in nature. (Soft food eater, picks at the ground).
Starling	Mixed, but prefers soft food: insects (earthworms, larvae) of course, fruit & berries, raisins, oat flakes at the feeding place. Also takes grains and peanuts in small quantities. (Soft food eater, omnivore in winter).
Greenfinch	Grain food: sunflower seeds (especially shelled), various seeds (hemp, linseed, weed seeds), broken peanuts. Likes to eat together with sparrows. (Grain eaters with strong beaks).
Chaffinch	Grain mixture of sunflowers, hemp, peanut pieces, beechnuts, etc.. Picks at the ground. In fall/winter also fruit scraps. (Grain-eater, often searches for seeds on the ground).
Goldfinch (goldfinch)	Fine seeds: loves thistle seed, niger seed, linseed, hemp. Also takes small sunflower seeds. (Special granivore with thin pointed beak for fine seeds).
House sparrow/field sparrow	(See sparrow above) Grains of all kinds, millet, oats, hemp, peanuts, plus some fatty food in winter. (Typical granivores - often in groups at the feeder).
Nuthatch	Sunflower seeds (cleverly cracks shells), peanuts, hazelnuts; also eats fatty foods and mealworms. Hides excess grains in bark cracks. (Omnivorous, eats all types of food).
Great spotted woodpecker	Prefers fat food (fat balls, fat blocks), also peanuts and sunflower seeds. Likes to feed on hanging food cakes or pillars. Mealworms are also welcome. (Omnivorous, but likes to eat fat and nuts).
Dunnock	Soft, fine food: small oat flakes, bran, tiny seeds (poppy seeds), raisins, insects. Feed on the ground or bottom tray. (Soft food eater, very shy - often foraging under bushes).
Wren	Prefers animal food: small insects, spiders, larvae. Rarely at the feeding site, at most fine oat flakes, unsalted fat porridge or mini mealworms. (Pure insectivore, hardly ever comes to the feeder).

 

(Note: Of course there are more species - here we have included the most common garden birds. If you offer special food (e.g. Niger seeds for goldfinches or mealworms), rarer guests may also appear. Try out what is best accepted in your garden).

Sparrows (sparrows) are granivores and prefer to eat seeds and grains. They feel particularly at home in a group at a well-stocked feeding station with seeds.

As the table shows, it is worth setting up different feeders in the garden. For example, a classic bird feeder or feeder with a mixture of seeds for tits, finches and sparrows - and soft food on the ground or on a flat plate for blackbirds and robins. This way, both the "tree eaters" and the "ground peckers" get their money's worth. Simply observe which bird species show up and adjust the offer accordingly. Over time, you will get a feel for which bird food suits which bird species.

4. feeding by season - winter aid and year-round feeding

Most people feed wild birds mainly in winter. In fact, winter feeding from November to February makes the most sense in Central Europe - this is when frost and snow cover make it more difficult for birds to forage naturally. High-energy food (especially high-fat seeds, nuts, fat food) helps the birds to survive the cold nights. It is best to feed a little more in the morning and afternoon so that the birds can fortify themselves after a cold night and build up reserves before the next night.

In spring and summer, birds usually find enough natural food in the garden - especially insects for rearing their young. Experts disagree on whether year-round feeding is necessary or advisable. Some nature conservation organizations (e.g. BirdLife Switzerland) advise not to feed during the breeding season so that young birds only receive natural insect food. High-fat winter food such as tit dumplings should also be avoided in summer. On the other hand, many ornithologists are now in favor of adapted year-round feeding - especially in view of the decline in insect populations. They argue that even in spring there is often a shortage of food (e.g. during cold snaps or in tidy gardens) and that additional food can then help.

Our tip: Only feed in moderation and in an appropriate way in summer. In warm months, avoid fatty food that could spoil and instead offer more natural food (e.g. some fruit, oatmeal, insect food). Keep the feeding place even cleaner, as heat increases the risk of germs. In principle, moderate year-round feeding does no harm if you follow certain rules - but the focus is on the winter period.

Would you like to know more about how you can support birds appropriately in the different seasons? In our blog post "Feeding birds throughout the year: When they need what help", you can find out what feeding makes sense in winter, spring, summer and fall - including practical tips on choosing food and the best time to feed. Read now and help your animals all year round!

(Don't forget: In addition to feeding, birds enjoy water points for drinking and bathing all year round - especially in the hot summer. A shallow bowl of water in the garden can be a lifesaver for the animals).

5. set up a feeding station: Hygiene, safety and observation fun

Bird food only really comes into its own when it is offered cleanly and safely. Use closed feed silos rather than open boxes - this keeps the food dry and hygienic. Litter feed directly on the floor is often not a good idea as it spoils quickly and can promote disease. Clean your feeding station regularly with hot water - at least once a week - and remove any leftover food if it is wet or frozen.

Tip: Tit dumplings, peanuts or raisins can also be offered creatively. Craft projects such as DIY feeding bells or peanut chains are ideal for families with children - and offer meaningful activities as well as experiences close to nature.

If you want to experience what's happening at the feeding station up close, you can opt for a smart bird feeder with a camera. This allows you to watch birds from the comfort of your living room - and even identify them using AI-supported recognition. It's a great way to tailor your own food supply even better to the visitors in your garden.

Conclusion: Choosing the right bird food for the right bird species is not rocket science. With our guide and a little observation, you will quickly find out what your feathered guests like. Try out different varieties, keep the feeding station clean and safe, and you will soon have a colorful flock of birds in your garden. Have fun feeding and observing!